OVERVIEW
This case study showcases an automotive graphic design partnership, not a single campaign.
I worked closely with The Market and Bonhams|Cars marketing team as an embedded design partner, who kept marketing moving at speed across multiple channels during high-pressure sales periods.
You will see a mix of fonts and logos throughout this due to the re-brands.
What we’ve worked on together:
- Print campaigns: 100s of print adverts for leading automotive and enthusiast magazines across the UK, Europe, and US.
- Digital content: paid social and organic assets designed to capture attention.
- Event collateral: flyers, business cards, posters and large-format graphics for events including Goodwood Revival, Festival of Speed, Zoute Grand Prix, Silverstone, and Interclassics.
- Motion and video: supporting both digital screens on event stands and social channels with motion graphics for a more dynamic presence.
- Quirky extras: playful but effective items such as stickers and posters designed to be a keep-sake, keeping Bonhams in the forefront of their minds when they look at them again.
JUMP TO SECTIONS
APPROACH & COLLABORATION
I was first brought on board to work with The Market by Bonhams which is an online auction platform for classic and collectable cars. When they rebranded to Bonhams|Cars Online in 2023, the creative approach needed to evolve and I stepped into the Live sale world as well as online.
The Market’s identity leaned into bold, quirky visuals, while Bonhams’ parent brand required a more refined and established tone. My role was to help the marketing team navigate this shift. Not to forget a little fun here and there because …why else do people enjoy such cars!?
print Ads created for magazines
distributed in the UK, Europe and U.S.A.
We created 100s of printed magazine adverts for a variety of publications around the globe, both the big names and the smaller, more targeted enthusiast magazines.
Different regions had different approaches, with the specific magazine selection in Italy we went with a retro feel. Did you know… Italians scan QRs much more than the Brits?
Other times we stuck to the simple formula they used previously, with a few tweaks.
Reactive marketing came into play when an advert sat near a feature in the magazine, for example the Triumph TR6 and Datzun 240z reviews and the World Cup of Cars feature…
…or we worked with calendar events, playing of EVO’s Car of the Year in a playful way as we don’t have their photography budgets or working with existing photography to spin them to work with Holiday’s.
Not only is Liv dependable, capable and incredibly creative…she has essentially revolutionised our capabilities as a marketing department. A credit to any team. A++
Oli Hughes, Senior Marketing Manager of Bonhams Cars Online
Goodwood Festival of Speed Highlight
I’ve worked through Festival of Speed 2022 – 2025 for Bonhams|Cars Live and Online creating a suite of assets.
One standout project was a photomontage featuring the iconic Mazda RX-7 driven by Han in The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift. I created a movie-style poster, which was used across social media, featured on digital screens in the Bonhams tent at the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed, and even printed as A4 take-home posters for fans (rare!).
The RX-7 later sold at auction for £911,000 (including fees), a result that went viral across automotive media and social platforms! The original photo was taken by Simon Raeburn-Ward.
Goodwood Revival Highlight
At some major automotive events, Bonhams|Cars and Bonhams|Cars Online share the stage. For these occasions, I create a wide range of supporting assets.
From social animations and interactive quizzes to flyers, stickers, car information sheets, and website thumbnails. Here are a few for you to view.
Livia is a breath of fresh air. Creative, thorough, a safe pair of hands, friendly and much more. You don’t feel like she’s a freelancer as she fully immerses within your company – your objectives, brand goals, ambitions, etc. She goes above and beyond the standard ‘design services’.
Whilst working with her, she has transformed The Market by Bonhams branding across print and digital advertising and event presence branding. She’s helped with some of the best tag lines ever produced, copywriting, research and much more.
I would highly recommend hiring Liv. If unsure of your requirements, I recommend reaching out to her and asking the question. She’s honest and transparent and has a range of skills that differ from the average designer. Very sad not to be working with her anymore due to me no longer consulting on our mutual client – but we will see if Polestar needs additional resources!
Laura Holloway, previously Autollo / The Market by Bonhams, now Fleet Manager at Polestar
dynamic digital creative for social use
Static and animated social assets are created constantly for use on their social channels to keep users engaged with their channels. Here are a few of the more creative highlights.
I also handle the sound design and always make sure the engine notes are matched authentically to the car (make sure to hit play with the volume on!)
maytime muster Campaign
Several times a year, Bonhams|Cars Online fills Milton Park to the brim with classic vehicles with their Muster’s, a gathering of enthusiasts from throughout the UK.
We put together a fresh campaign for May 2025’s. Simon Raeburn-Ward took some great shots of a selection of cars in Milton Park itself. I edited these shots to tidy up the location, worked on clear typography and then turned this key art into paid and organic social assets plus magazine adverts.
APP RELEASE CAMPAIGN
The Bonhams|Cars app had a new look, which green lit us to push it. Que assets! For this I tasked Angus with photographing green screen phone shots in the unit. I wanted this because it gives us the view of an enthusiast on the hunt for the next addition to their collection. I then created files that I could switch the phone screen of with anything we like.
I delivered: Digital assets (feed, story, email signature and newsletter banners), cafe barrier for events, printed full page adverts and app banners for use in magazines, website assets and proposed a video (maybe we’ll revisit this).
This flexible toolkit gave the marketing team everything they needed to push the new app across both digital and in-person channels.
Livia is very talented, quick, proactive, and enthusiast. Working with her is always pleasure, and I would recommend her without hesitation.
Federica Olivotto. Marketing Coordinator at Bonhams Cars Online
sale and brand awareness STICKERS
Who doesn’t like a sticker? These stickers fly out each sale as everyone loves a shiny bit of memorabilia. True collectors item.
These are created with a selective use of special materials such as holographic, glitter, metallic and brushed aluminium. That means the effect is only applied to certain areas. Fancy! Like everything Bonhams sells, these stickers are rare and collectible. So if you have one, hang onto it!
I highly recommend Liv Lucie to anyone in need of quality graphic design. She has done some fabulous work for us.
Mark Livesey. CEO of THE MARKET
Photography for Bonhams|Cars Online is usually taken by Angus Taylor and Simon Raeburn-Ward.
Looking for automotive graphic design? Get In touch.